Methods, systems, and computer readable media for flight training

Abstract

A flight training system provides training for aircraft pilots. In some examples, the system includes one or more computers and one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to provide the flight training. In operation, the computers execute a pedagogical trainer for presenting a structured sequence of training tasks to a trainee, a simulation trainer for providing free-play capacity in a computer simulated aircraft environment to the trainee, and an integration kernel is provided for transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for flight training, the system comprising:
 one or more computers; and   one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform flight training, the instructions comprising:
 a pedagogical trainer for presenting a structured sequence of training tasks to a trainee; 
 a simulation trainer for providing free-play capacity in a computer simulated aircraft environment to the trainee; and 
 an integration kernel for transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer comprises enabling a free-play session for the trainee in the simulation trainer within a guided lesson provided by the pedagogical trainer. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer comprises monitoring a simulation state of the simulation trainer and transitioning the trainee from the simulation trainer to the pedagogical trainer when the simulations state reaches a preprogrammed pedagogical state. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer comprises monitoring, in real-time or near real-time, a simulation state of the simulation trainer for one or more triggers and, in response to validating one of the triggers, playing one or more effects on the simulation trainer based on data from the pedagogical trainer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein playing one or more effects on the simulation trainer comprises causing a system fault or a hazardous behavior at a preprogrammed simulated time. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the integration kernel comprises an embedded state machine for activating a second step of a task in response to determining that a first step has been achieved by the trainee in accordance with a preprogrammed lesson. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the simulation trainer is configured to present, on a display device, a virtual 3D cockpit comprising simulated equipment, so that one or more trainee interactions in the 3D virtual cockpit are translated into simulation data modifications in accordance with respective behaviors of the simulated equipment. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the simulation trainer is configured to present, on a display device, one or more feedback displays, highlight displays, and guidance messages. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pedagogical trainer is configured to present a pedagogical window with one or more pure theoretical contents. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pedagogical trainer is configured to execute a virtual instructor for providing, by one or more audio speakers, one or more aural messages to the trainee. 
     
     
         11 . A method for flight training performed by one or more computers, the method comprising:
 executing, by the one or more computers, a pedagogical trainer for presenting a structured sequence of training tasks to a trainee;   executing, by the one or more computers, a simulation trainer for providing free-play capacity in a computer simulated aircraft environment to the trainee; and   executing, by the one or more computers, an integration kernel for transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer comprises enabling a free-play session for the trainee in the simulation trainer within a guided lesson provided by the pedagogical trainer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer comprises monitoring a simulation state of the simulation trainer and transitioning the trainee from the simulation trainer to the pedagogical trainer when the simulations state reaches a preprogrammed pedagogical state. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer comprises monitoring, in real-time or near real-time, a simulation state of the simulation trainer for one or more triggers and, in response to validating one of the triggers, playing one or more effects on the simulation trainer based on data from the pedagogical trainer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein playing one or more effects on the simulation trainer comprises causing a system fault or a hazardous behavior at a preprogrammed simulated time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the integration kernel comprises an embedded state machine for activating a second step of a task in response to determining that a first step has been achieved by the trainee in accordance with a preprogrammed lesson. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the simulation trainer is configured to present, on a display device, a virtual 3D cockpit comprising simulated equipment, so that one or more trainee interactions in the 3D virtual cockpit are translated into simulation data modifications in accordance with respective behaviors of the simulated equipment. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the simulation trainer is configured to present, on a display device, one or more feedback displays, highlight displays, and guidance messages. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pedagogical trainer is configured to present a pedagogical window with one or more pure theoretical contents. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pedagogical trainer is configured to execute a virtual instructor for providing, by one or more audio speakers, one or more aural messages to the trainee. 
     
     
         21 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform flight training, the instructions comprising:
 a pedagogical trainer for presenting a structured sequence of training tasks to a trainee;   a simulation trainer for providing free-play capacity in a computer simulated aircraft environment to the trainee; and   an integration kernel for transitioning the trainee between the pedagogical trainer and the simulation trainer.